Symbian Foundation is looking for experts to sit on its governing councils from April 2010 to March 2011. Councils play a critical role, representing the community and guiding the future direction of the Symbian platform. Ixonos’ Symbian Technology Manager Ilkka Syrjälä and Software Architect Mikael Laine run for Symbian Foundation’s UI Council.

Each council has twelve seats. The election is web-based, with each member company getting one vote per council. Voting commenced on Monday 29 March and concludes on Wednesday 7 April. The results will be announced on Thursday 8 April 2010.

Ixonos’ primary representative for the UI Council is Symbian Technology Manager Ilkka Syrjälä. His responsibilities include advancement of company visibility, strategy, competence, coordination and critical project/venture follow-up regarding the Symbian technology area.

Ilkka has for several years worked in the software service industry focusing on mobile solutions. He has also worked as user experience business development manager helping to create Ixonos’ user experience services. After Symbian Foundation was established, Syrjälä has initiated and managed several Symbian platform improvement ventures. One of the most visible and praised contributions was the major contribution proposal to remove double tapping from Symbian^3 platform applications. Other contributions and co-operation efforts include the improvement study of the mini-qwerty keyboard and transferring the image and video editor package ownerships to Ixonos.

Deputy Representative is Software Architect Mikael Laine. His responsibilities include Mobile UI development coordination, Symbian Graphics development and a package ownership in the Symbian Foundation. Mikael has solid experience in the Symbian OS platform since 2003, as well as in lecturing at a University, development and UI-architecture. He has created architecture for a novel graphics environment for Symbian, with a flexible UI-component library-based on an OpenGL renderer. He has been involved in novel UI-designs in both application development and platform design on mobile platforms.

Ixonos is a full member of the Foundation and an active contributor to the Symbian platform and works closely with the Foundation and its member companies. Ixonos was the first member to create a major contribution proposal to the platform. The proposal was in the user interface domain and helped to improve the user experience on Symbian^3 devices.

Ixonos strongly believes in the aims and the vision of the Symbian Foundation and forcefully participates in the development of the open platform.

For further information, please contact:
Ilkka Syrjälä, Symbian Technology Manager, tel. +358 40 756 0283, ilkka.syrjala/at/ixonos.com
Mikael Laine, Software Architect, tel. +358 44 712 6979, mikael.laine/at/ixonos.com
Panu Kause, Director, Partnerships and Innovation, tel. +358 40 838 4603, panu.kause/at/ixonos.com

Together with COSS, the Finnish Centre for Open Source Solutions, Ixonos is arranging an Ubuntu 10.04 release fest in Tampere, Finland, on Wednesday 5 May, 2010, at 3–7 pm. The event is arranged at Demola in Väinö Linnan aukio 15, 3rd floor, (http://www.demola.fi/contacts).

The event is free for all participants, but advance registration is required. Please, register at http://www.coss.fi/ubuntufest-ilmoittautuminen.

Event pages: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=298516024603 (in Finnish, in Facebook).

There will be presentations on Ubuntu and Linux and a demonstration of the new Ubuntu, with a possibility for participants to test it in practice. There is also an Ubuntu Challenge competition, the winner of which will receive a new Nokia N900 mobile computer. More information about the competition is available in Finnish only at http://www.coss.fi/ubuntu-challenge.

For more information, please contact:
Ixonos’ Tampere Site Manager Jukka Hornborg, tel. +358 40 592 9596, jukka.hornborg/at/ixonos.com

The world famous C++ guru Bjarne Stroustrup is coming to Finland in March to appear as the keynote speaker of the Oulu Linux seminar arranged by Ixonos. Stroustrup will also hold presentations in Espoo, Finland and Copenhagen, Denmark. Stroustrup’s topic is the trends and future of C++.

Bjarne Stroustrup is the designer and original implementer of C++ and he has written the essential works on the topic: “Programming – Principles and Practice using C++”, “The C++ Programming Language” and “The Design and Evolution of C++”. Originally from Denmark, professor Stroustrup is currently working in the USA as the College of Engineering Chair Professor in Computer Science at Texas A&M University.

Ixonos arranges the Oulu Linux seminar on Tuesday, 16 March 2010, at the University of Oulu. In addition to Stroustrup, there are many internationally known speakers appearing in the event: Ignacio Correas from eBox speaks on the topic of “Creating open source community”, Sami Paihonen from Samsung discusses “How to design world class UX on top of embedded Linux” and Nordicmind’s Esko Wessman talks about “How to Make Business with Open Source”. The technical track has, among others, KDE’s Sebastian Kügler talking about Qt programming and an adjunct professor from the University of Oulu, Mika Ylianttila, on the topic “Experiences from mobile programming for value-added music services”.

Bjarne Stroustrup’s roadshow continues to Espoo on Thursday, 18 March 2010. Stroustrup holds a 75-minute speech at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology in Otaniemi, Espoo. Before the speech, we are holding a press conference in the same location. The last leg of the tour takes Stroustrup to Copenhagen on Friday, 19 March 2010, where the event will be held at the IT University.

”I’m pleased to be invited to appear as the keynote speaker of Ixonos’ Linux seminar and to get a chance to give a speech in Espoo and Copenhagen as well. Finland is on the leading edge of information technology and I believe that my topic touches many listeners not only on behalf of their work but also for the sheer interest in C++ programming”, says Bjarne Stroustrup.

”It is fantastic to get a real life guru, the implementer of C++, to appear in the event Ixonos is arranging”, comments Ville Voutilainen, Chief Software Designer at Ixonos, who knows Stroustrup through his involvement in the C++ Standards Committee.

”Ixonos is in a special position in having the privilege of bringing Stroustrup to Finland. We wanted to offer as many people as possible the chance to hear Stroustrup’s speech. This is why we are arranging this unique little roadshow”, explains Panu Kause, Director, Partnerships & Innovation.

For additional information:
Ixonos Plc, Ville Voutilainen, Chief Software Designer, tel. +358 40 514 4720, ville.voutilainen/at/ixonos.com
Ixonos Plc, Panu Kause, Director, Partnerships & Innovation, tel. +358 40 838 4603, panu.kause/at/xonos.com

For information on the press conference in Espoo:
Ixonos Plc, Sirje Ahvenlampi, Communications Manager, tel. +358 50 557 3822, sirje.ahvenlampi/at/ixonos.com

ROADSHOW SCHEDULE

Oulu Linux seminar on Tuesday, 16 March 2010
University of Oulu, Main Building, Saalastinsali, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Oulu.
Seminar 9 am–5 pm, Bjarne Stroustrup’s presentation 9.15 am.

Roadshow in Espoo on Thursday, 18 March 2010
Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Main Building, Hall B, Otakaari 1, Espoo, Finland.
Press conference 9–9.45 am, Bjarne Stroustrup’s presentation 10 am–12 am

Roadshow in Copenhagen on Friday, 19 March 2010
IT University, Auditorium 1, Rued Langgaards Vej 7, Copenhagen, Denmark
Bjarne Stroustrup’s presentation at 3 pm–5 pm, open for press.